asked the President of the Board of Trade the total imports, and the value thereof, of plain net, curtain, other sorts of cotton lace, and silk and mixed lace during the period of the application of the Safeguarding of Industries Act to the lace industry, and similar figures for a corresponding period prior thereto?

The aggregate value of the imports and re-exports of the descriptions of lace specified in the question which were registered during the five months beginning July, 1924 and 1925, together with the value of the net imports retained in this country, were as follow:

		July-November 1924.	July-November,1925.
		£	£
Total imports	…	1,139,768	274,305
Re-exports	…	892,557	88,971
Net imports retained	…	247,211	185,334

The figures of imports and of re-exports include, for the period prior to the imposition of the duty, goods in transit on through bills of lading. Since the imposition of the duty, such transit-goods have been, for the most part, transhipped under bond. It has long been the practice to exclude goods transshipped under bond from the general figures of imports and re-exports. So far as information is available, it appears that transhipments of lace and lace goods under bond in recent months account for the major part of the decreases in recorded imports and re-exports of such goods.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will, in conjunction with the campaign to persuade people to buy British goods, consider the desirability of having a message broadcast all over the country, with a brief, non-political explanation of how British trade and the question of unemployment can be improved by discriminating in favour of British goods and specifically asking for them before effecting a purchase?

I sympathise with the object my hon. Friend has in view, and the President of the Board of Trade has already broadcast such an appeal, on the. 8th December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is prepared to waive the examination for wireless operators who have already qualified for the position on some vessels and have had over 12 months' practical experience at sea in charge of the apparatus?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I should not feel justified in issuing any certificate of proficiency in wireless telegraphy to an operator without ascertaining that he possesses the qualifications therein specified.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities are providing work for the unemployed on the understanding that the guardians will contribute towards the cost of such employment the actual sums which in each case would have otherwise been paid by way of relief?

The information in my possession does not enable me to say how many schemes of this kind are actually in operation at any given moment, but during the year 1925, 30 boards of guardians have been authorised to make contributions on the lines mentioned in the question towards the cost of unemployment schemes initiated by 41 local authorities.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in the County of Durham who have applied for and been refused unemployment benefit since 1st January, 1925, including those whose benefit has been stopped?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th December, 1925, Col. 1662], supplied the following information:During the period 15th January to l6th November, 1925, the number of applications for extended benefit considered by local employment committees in the County of Durham was 276,449. Of these, 260,835 were admitted and 15,614 were recommended for disallowance. Statistics of applications for standard benefit are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who applied for extended benefit in each month of the present year at the Roch-dale Employment Exchange, and the number and percentage of cases in which benefit was refused?

pursuant to hits reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 9th December, 1925, col. 438], supplied the following information:

APPLICATIONS for Extended Benefit considered by the Rochdale Local Employment Committee.
Period.	Cases Considered.	Cases Rejected.	Rejections as percentage of Case Considered.
1925.
13th Jan. to 9th Feb.	1,025	59	5·8
10th Feb. to 9th Mar.	875	29	4 ·5
10th Mar. to 13th Apl.	1,137	39	2·6
14th Apl. to 11th May	972	31	3· 2
18th May to 8th June	955	86	9·0
9th June to 13th July	1,323	86	6·5
14th July to 24th Aug.	1,652	65	3·9
25th Aug. to 14th Sept.	1,042	168	16·1
15th Sept. to 12th Oct.	1,731	485	28·0
13th Oct. to 16th Nov.	1,390	234	16·8
Total for period 13th Jan. to 16th Nov.	12,102	1,282	10·6

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that Mr. Joe Morley, of 30, Albion Street, Batley, who is now 69 years of age and who had worked for one firm for 40 years, but is now unemployed, has recently had his unemployment pay stopped on the ground that there was no prospect of his being able to obtain employment; that the work which this man did was a special job known as leak tank work; that there are very few openings for such work, and that it is practically impossible for him to get a similar job; and will he, under the special circumstances, exercise discretion and have the man's unemployment benefit restored?

The claim was for extended benefit. My right hon. Friend has no discretion to grant such benefit when the statutory conditions are not fulfilled. The local employment committee came to the conclusion that the conditions were not fulfilled, and, after considering all the facts, I hold the same view.

asked the Minister of Labour how many women entitled to standard benefit have been refused such benefit during each month from 1st January to 31st October this year, inclusive, also the number of women re-

A.—APPLICATIONS FOR BENEFIT FROM WOMEN in Great Britain, disallowed by the Chief Insurance Officer during the period January to October, 1925.
Reasons for Disallowance.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	April.	May.	June.	July.	Aug.	Sept.	Oct.
Applications not made in the prescribed manner.	19	13	22	14	12	12	11	7	12	9
Not unemployed	119	109	77	111	87	117	182	295	90	72
Not capable of work	413	403	519	485	482	387	192	225	300	239
Not available for work	553	374	489	421	370	343	511	167	193	106
Refusal of suitable employment.	2,146	2,089	1,482	1,170	1,127	915	l,940	1,345	2,275	1,336
Not genuinely seeking work.	2,341	2,745	5,139	6,896	7,835	8,161	13,406	10,487	21,160	12,322
Failure to attend courses of instruction.	18	13	5	17	6	3	3	3	3	11
Trade disputes	36	20	682	1,060	273	86	151	1,812	312	54
Misconduct	1,790	1,599	1,761	1,612	2,091	1,615	2,975	1,629	2,794	1,895
Left previous work voluntarily without just Clause.	3,410	3,432	3,661	3,325	3,349	2,870	4,452	2,592	4,384	3,779
Inmates of prison, work-house, etc	—	—	2	—	—	2	23	—	1	—
In receipt of Old Age Pension.	2	10	3	1	1	—	5	4	2	3
In receipt of wages or payment.	246	239	311	303	324	257	303	220	356	336
Other reasons	11	3	17	18	10	6	6	10	52	5
Total for month	11,104	11,049	14,170	15,433	16,067	14,774	24 470	18,796	31,934	20,167

NOTE:—The figures include applications for Extended Benefit as well as Standard Benefit but the relative proportions of these two types of cases are not known.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th December. Col. 34], supplied the following information:The tables below relate respectively to disallowances of benefit by the chief insurance officer and by the local employment committees.With regard to the first table,

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women, respectively, who have been placed in employment through Employment Exchanges during the last three months;

NUMBER of men and women placed in employment by Employment Exchanges in Great Britain during the three months ended 9th November, 1925, and the numbers on the registers at 7th September, 5th October and 9th November, respectively:—
—		Number placed in employment.✶		Number on Registers at end of period.†
		Men.	Women.	Men.	Women.
1925
Five weeks ended 7th September	…	59,566	28,641	1,054,141	215,488
Four weeks ended 5th October	…	47,701	24,329	1,035,752	192,031
Five weeks ended 9th November	…	66,973	30,118	963,319	171,737
✶ These figures include placings in which the work of the Exchanges was limited, e.g., obtaining for an employer former employees or placing the same men on relief work in alternate weeks. These numbered in the three periods Men 13,796, 11,525 and 15,232 respectively, and Women 7,120, 6,062 and 8,014 respectively. On the other hand, the figures are exclusive of placings of men in casual occupations, such as dock labourers, coal porters, which numbered 2,453 in the first period above, 1,859 in the second period and 2,273 in the third.
†These figures include considerable numbers of short time workers, etc., who, though unemployed at the date of the return, were still in the service of an employer.

, pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th December, Col. 1446), supplied the following information:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women, respectively, who have claimed unemployment benefit during each of the last three months at Bridgeton Employment Exchange, Parkhead Employment Exchange, Southside Employment Exchange, and

APPLICATIONS FOR EXTENDED BENEFIT considered by the Local Committees at Bridgeton, Parkhead, Glasgow Southside and Glasgow Central Employment Exchanges respectively during the period 25th August to 16th November, 1925.
—			25th August to 14th September.		13th September to 12th October.		13th October to 16th November.
			Men.	Women.	Men.	Women.	Men.	Women.
Bridgeton—:
Considered	…	…	609	364	1,176	628	1,393	554
Admitted	…	…	433	239	913	480	1,077	447
Disallowed	…	…	176	125	263	148	316	107
Parkhead—
Considered	…	…	948	150	1,486	308	2,024	297
Admitted	…	…	738	91	1,397	182	1,754	198
Disallowed	…	…	210	59	89	126	270	99
Glasgow Southside—
Considered	…	…	1,944	463	2,045	322	5,480	828
Admitted	…	…	1,840	268	1,874	207	4,589	509
Disallowed	…	…	95	195	171	115	891	319
Glasgow Central—
Considered	…	…	1,745	407	2,051	468	2,569	630
Admitted	…	…	1,452	222	1,726	331	2,105	395
Disallowed	…	…	293	185	325	137	464	235
Statistics of applications for Standard Benefit are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of applications for unemployment benefit, extended and standard, at the Motherwell Employment Exchange during each week from 1st September to 14th October, respectively, and the number of male employé's at the Exchange during each of the weeks mentioned?

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th December, Col. 1446), supplied the following information:The number of claims to benefit (including repeat claims by the same individual) at the Motherwell Employment Exchange during the period 31et August to 12th October, 1925, is as under: —

pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th December, Col. 1446), supplied the following information:

Week ending.			No of claims.
7th September	…	…	803
14th September	…	…	773
21st September	…	…	853
28th September	…	…	536
5th October	…	…	1,.287
12th October	…	…	655

The number of male employés in post throughout the per 0d was 30.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men are at present engaged on relief works and schemes wholly or partly supported from national funds in Glamorganshire; and whether any further schemes to relieve unemployment in the county are to be commenced during this winter?

According to returns which have been received, the number of men engaged on relief works and schemes in Glamorganshire at 38th November, 1925, wholly or partly assisted from national funds, was 1,959. The number of schemes actually in operation was 49, and there are six schemes which have been approved for this winter but on which work had not been commenced.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to a recent decision in the case of the " Clan Maclachlan "; and whether it is the general policy of the Crown to plead the Statute of Limitations, in view of the fact that firms and individuals of standing in the country only adopt such a course as an extreme measure in special circumstances?

This ship was sunk on the 19th July, 1917. The collision was regarded as a marine risk and was paid for as such by the marine underwriters. It was not until the 29th November, 1923, after a decision of the House of Lords which indicated that risks which had boon regarded as marine for all insurance purposes might, in fact, be War risks that the claimants commenced proceedings by appointing an arbitrator under the Charter Party. By reason of the Indemnity Act no claim could have been commenced at law or by Petition of Right; owing to a technicality the provisions of the Indemnity Act did not apply to arbitration proceedings. In these circumstances, the Advisers of the Crown felt justified in pleading the Statute in this case. In fact, it is not the general policy of the Crown to plead the Statute.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any permits have been given to cinematograph companies to make films of troops and other military objects or on War Office property during the last three years: whether these permits are granted to one company or to more than one company; what are the names of the companies concerned; whether any payments, rents, or royalties are paid for those permits and for privileges; and what is the amount of money involved?

During the past three years troops have been allowed to take part in scenes for films of military life and history produced, or in course of production, by three film companies, namely, the British Instructional Films Company, Limited, the Famous Productions Film Company, Limited, and the Frirse-Green Colour Films, Limited. No general permits or facilities have been given to any company. On each occasion on which troops have been used it has been subject to the conditions that there is no interference with training and no expense to the public: and that soldiers are not employed in parts that could equally well be taken by civilians. Further, the company has been required to pay to the Commanding Officer for distribution among the men at least as much as would have been paid for the services of civilians.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office why the Royal Warrant (Army Order 366, of 1925) issued in October last, reducing the pay and delaying by a year the promotion of officers who obtain their commissions after 25th October, 1925. is to be applied to the Woolwich cadets who passed a competitive examination in November, 1923, in view of the fact that these cadets obtained higher marks than most of the Sandhurst cadets, have had a longer course of instruction, and, if they are not exempted from the operation of the Royal Warrant, will lose their seniority and have a reduced scale of pay during the whole of their career?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on the 15th instant to the hon. and gallant Member for Portsmouth North (Sir B. Falle). I would add that the reductions are in the main confined to the pay of ranks below that of senior captain.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is in a position to estimate and state the numbers employed, and/or the expenditure of salaries, wages, and pay, in the fighting units of the Army and in other military services, respectively?

The total of troops on the British establishment of the Army (excluding temporary " Additional Numbers ") in Vote A, shown on page 10 of the current year's Army Estimates, may be divided between fighting units and administrative and other services as follows:

(1) Cavalry, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Corps of Signals, Infantry, Military Police and Tank Corps	…	29,762
(2) Others	…	24,957
Total	…	154,719

The total provision for pay (excluding allowance) is approximately for

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a contract has recently been placed for the construction of 36 steel houses at Larkhill Camp, Salisbury plain; whether it has been determined that such houses are adapted for such an exposed position, and that they could resist the recoil of artillery fire which is carried on in the vicinity; and whether he has considered the disturbance which will be created in the brick industry in the Salisbury Plain district by the contemplated change in the character of the houses to be erected?

The contract was placed after inspection of houses of this type already erected. They are considered suitable as regards resistance both to weather and to the recoil of artillery fire. I do not think that the construction of these 36 experimental small houses in steel will have any appreciable effect on the brick industry in the district.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the total number of graded posts he proposes to establish, in connection with the clerical re-organisation scheme, for the whole of the out-station offices; and will he state the proportion of these posts in relation to the post-War clerical complements of these offices?

The complements of the graded posts have not yet been finally fixed for all offices, and I regret, therefore, that I am not yet in a position to furnish the informal ion asked for.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is now in a position to give any fresh information as to the circumstances in which the loss of the "Hampshire" occurred?

(1) My attention has been drawn to certain articles recently published in the Press.(2) It is not the fact that the sailing of the "Hampshire" was an open secret. She was not in fact selected by the Commander-in-Chief for this service until the 27th of May, 10 days before she sailed for Russia. She was engaged in the Battle of Jutland from 30th May to 2nd June.(3) There is no foundation for the statement that the refitting of this vessel had not been properly carried out. The refit was completed in February, 1916, and the " Hampshire '' attained a speed of 21 knots in the Battle of Jutland, five days before Lord Kitchener embarked.(4) The course fixed for His Majesty's Ship "Hampshire" was selected at the last moment for reasons of wind and weather. Owing to bad weather mine-sweeping on both sides of the Orkneys had been impossible for some days previous to the date of sailing, but the shortness of the summer night in these latitudes was considered to make minelaying by surface vessels, impossible, and no minelaying by submarines had previously been discovered anywhere near the Orkneys.(5) There is no evidence that any signals were made by "Hampshire" after the explosion; she appears to have sunkin a period variously estimated as be- tween 10 and 20 minutes from the time of striking the mine.(6) As has been previously explained in this House, the Admiralty have followed their usual course of not publishing court of inquiry proceedings, but the statements issued giving the cause of the disaster as a moored mine are the considered view of the Admiralty based on all the evidence. It is absolutely untrue that the Admiralty have held back important papers that would throw a new light upon this disaster, and I may add that the allegation that spies had on a former occasion been found in the "Hampshire" and shot, is a ridiculous and wicked fabrication.(7) The Admiralty have no doubt whatever that H.M.R. "Hampshire" struck a German mine laid by the U.75, a mine-laying submarine, which had been sent out to watch the Orkneys and to lay mines in preparation for the German naval sortie which resulted in the Battle of Jutland.The despatch of submarines to various points is mentioned in Admiral Scheer's Jutland Report, and his " Plan No. 2 " published with the Blue Book relating to the Battle of Jutland (Command Paper 1068/1920) shows the track of the U.75 to and from this very area between the 26th May and the 1st June, 1916. Fifteen mines of a type evidently laid by a German submarine were swept up in the vicinity as soon as the weather made sweeping possible, and the information as to minelaying furnished by Germany at the end of the War to facilitate the work of mine clearance, as well as the German Official History of the War at sea, confirm the fact that they laid these mines.

asked the Prime Minister if he will set up a committee to inquire into the claims of civilians in London and other cities for war damage.; and if he will provide that the reference to the committee shall include the claims of the sufferers that compensation should be a prior charge on reparations received from Germany?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister on the 14th December, in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for Mile End (Mr. Scurr).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many contracts have been made for the advertisement of intoxicants in official publications; and what is the total revenue that the Treasury will receive during the next financial year from these contracts?

Contracts for the insertion of advertisements in official publications are made by the Government with agents who dispose of the whole of the available space to the best advantage, and it is not posssible to state how many contracts will deal with intoxicants or any particular commodity, or what revenue will he derived therefrom.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he- will consider the advisability of sending a representative, or representatives, of the Treasury and the Public Works Loan Board to Peterhead and Fraserburgh, in order to discuss with the local authorities concerned questions arising out of the harbour debts incurred as a result of the War, with a view to arriving at a settlement satisfactory to both sides?

I am afraid that I cannot adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion, but I am sending him a statement showing the latest position of these negotiationns.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any instructions or suggestions have been conveyed to the Ministry of Transport with a view to curtailing promises to local authorities of further grants for new proposals for large works of improvements or new road construction to be carried out during 1926 or subsequent years which would involve any charge upon the Road Fund; and, if so, how long such restriction on grants has been in force?

The money available during the current financial year for new improvement schemes and for the construction of new roads was allocated some time ago and local authorities have in several instances been informed that no further moneys are at present avail able. A very large range of new works and improvements remains to be executed on the programmes of road expenditure already approved.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that certain shorthand typists employed in the Public Trustee Office recently applied for consideration for promotion to clerical class vacancies, basing their claims upon the recommendations of the reorganisation committee of the National Whitley Council for the Civil Service, and that they were informed that they could not be considered for promotion on account of their seniority and the point on the shorthand-typist salary scale which they had reached; and whether he will give instructions to the establishment officials of the Public Trustee Office to the effect that the recommendations of the reorganisation committee regarding the promotion rights of shorthand typists must be carried out in the Public Trustee Office in future?

I have been asked to reply. There have been no recent specific applications for consideration for promotion to clerical class vacancies by shorthand typists employed in the Public Trustee Office. No shorthand typist has been informed that she could not be considered for promotion on account of her seniority and the point in the shorthand-typist scale which she had reached. There is no necessity for any such instructions as suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the present estimated annual cost of headquarters staff engaged on each of the following duties: education, medical, chaplains, administration of food, clothing. and general stores, administration of technical stores, transport, staff duties, military personnel administration, martial law, civil personnel administration, legal services, contracts, finance, accounting, and audit, inspection, recruiting, lands, buildings, and works, secretarial, and messengers, porters, and cleaners?

The information for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks is largely contained in Vote 10 of the Air Estimates. To analyse the details there given still further would involve an amount of work which I do not think would be justified.

asked the Minister of Labour whether be is aware that anomalies exist it the relative Departmental marking given in the recent writing assistant examination for temporary women clerks; to temporary women employed at Kew, in certain cases women, who held at the time grades above three or who had held higher grades prior to the shrinkage of work, having been awarded lower marks than their colleagues who had been regularly employed on writing assistant work only; that local supervisors and other responsible officials have informed the girls concerned that they could not understand upon what basis the final markings were arrived at; and that these bore no relation to recommendations locally made regarding the relative classification of the girls concerned, and have advised them to challenge the markings: and whether he will have the matter inquired into?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to a question on this subject by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for South Portsmouth (Sir H. Cayzer), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Post master- General why temporary women clerks employed in Belfast by his Department were reported upon by an executive officer employed in a different building, and without any knowledge the girls concerned, for the purpose of assessing Departmental marls in the recent writing assistant examination for temporary women staff: and why the. woman in charge of the girls concerned was not allowed to make a report for this purpose?

I am having inquiry made in the matter and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total cost involved in the increase from 98 in 1913£14 to 309 in 1925£26 of the number of appointments in the public service carrying salaries of £2,000 a year and upwards?

Figures are being prepared, and will be communicated to my hon. Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that no provision is made for retiring allowances for Income Tax collectors; and whether he will consider placing these officials on a similar footing as regards pensions on retirement as collector of local rates and poor rates?

The question of improving the organisation of the Income Tax collecting service has been for some time under consideration. The present rates of pay are inclusive, and I do not see my way to consider the formulation of a pension scheme for these officers apart from the general review and reorganisation of the service, which I hope may take place.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state, in view of the figures given by his Department, which show 339 deaths from encephalitis lethargica in 1922, 531 in 1923, and 1,407 in 1924, what the figures are for 1925 up to date; and whether any measures have been taken, or are in contemplation, to prevent the increase of this fatal complaint?

1,157 deaths have been provisionally attributed to this disease in England and Wales during 1925, up to the end of October. As regards the second part of the question, my right hon. Friend's Department has issued several Reports and Memoranda in recent years, in which the principal facts ascertained regarding the occurrence of this disease and the manner of its spread have been set out. Efforts are being made in conjunction with the Medical Research Council to add to our knowledge of the causes of this disease and the possibilities of avoiding it.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that 31.5 per cent. of the cases notified as diphtheria, and 13.6 per cent. of the cases notified as scarlet fever, and sent to the infectious diseases hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board in the year 1924, were found after admission to be suffering from something else or from no disease at all; whether there is any reason to believe that these percentages are as great or greater throughout the country; whether any steps are taken to correct the statistics of notification for these errors; whether the parents of the children are informed as to the mistaken diagnoses; whether there is any information available as to how many, if any, of these cases contract diphtheria or scarlet fever after admission to hospital; whether the practitioners who make these errors are called upon to refund the notification fees received by them; and, if not, will he consider the desirability of arranging for that course to be adopted?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but I may say that I am informed that the increase in the number of cases of diphtheria admitted during 1924, to the infectious diseases hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board in which the diagnosis had to be revised may be accounted for by the increasing recognition on the part of medical practitioners of the necessity, in the interests of the patient, of immediate removal to hospital for the purpose of securing treatment as early as possible without waiting for the receipt of a laboratory report.As regards the second part of the question, no figures are available for the country as a whole which would enable any definite conclusion to be arrived at. As regards the third part, I am informed that in cases in which the diagnosis made at the Metropolitan Asylums Board's hospitals is not in agreement with that of the notifying practitioner, the information is communicated to the medical officer of health of the sanitary district from which the patient was removed in order to ensure the accuracy of his statistics. As regards the fourth part, I understand that information as to the diagnosis made at the hospital is given to the parents on request. As regards the fifth part, I am informed that there is no information available as to the number. if any, of these cases which contract scarlet fever or diphtheria after admission to hospital. As regards the last part of the question, I am advised that there is no statutory provision under which a medical practitioner could be called upon to refund the fee for a notification certificate in a case in which his diagnosis is not in agreement with that subsequently made at the hospital, and in view of what I have said in replying to the first part of the question, it would, in my opinion, be undesirable in the public interest that such a course should be adopted.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the suggestion made by a coroner's jury at the inquest on the baby daughter of Horace Farmer, at Camberwell recently, that all poisons should be sold in blue-ribbed bottles instead of white; and whether, with a view to greater protection being afforded the public, such suggestion will be considered and Regulations issued to chemists?

Regulations made under the Poisons and Pharmacies Acts require that preparations containing scheduled poisons intended for external application shall be supplied in bottles distinguishable by touch. The question of the extension of these Regulations to other preparations containing scheduled poisons is a matter for the Privy Council, and I will bring the hon. Member's suggestion to the notice of the Lord President.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the recent action by the Hastings authorities to try and save the natural amenities of a portion of the coast which is outside their own immediate district; and whether he will recommend to local authorities whose borders extend to the sea that in all appropriate cases they might consider taking such action as will preserve these amenities now existing for the benefit of the public in future, or at least schedule such areas with a view to future action on these lines?

I am aware of the Hastings case. With regard to the second part of the question, the Town Planning Act, 1925, empowers a local authority to prepare a town planning scheme for any lard within their district which is in course of development or appears likely to be used for building purposes, with the object of securing amenity, sanitary conditions and convenience in the development of the land. I have no reason to think that local authorities whose borders extend to the sea are not generally aware of their powers under the Act. If, however, any hon. Friend has in mind particular cases where the preparation of a scheme would be likely to be an advantage and informs me of them, I shall be prepared to look into them.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what action has been taken to bring the advantage of town planning before Local authorities; how many conferences in the subject have been held at which officials of the Scottish Board of Health were present since 1st January, 1920; and on what dates was approval given for the only two official schemes in Scotland?

Following upon the passing of the Housing, Town Planning, Etc., Act, 1909, the Local Government Board for Scotland issued a circular to local authorities as to their powers under the Act, and called their attention generally to the importance of its pro-visions. In 1911 a City and Town Planning Exhibition was held in Edinburgh, and this was followed by a number of conferences with the principal local authorities both in connection with the general subject of town planning and with individual schemes which had been submitted. The outbreak of war necessitated a general curtailment of activity in regard to town planning, but the Local Government Board were able to influence the development along modern lines of several of the large building schemes undertaken for purposes of the War, and in these schemes the advantages of town planning were amply demonstrated. Since 1919 local authorities have not been specially urged to proceed with town planning in view of the pressure of work in connection with housing schemes. The Scottish Board of Health have, however, on frequent occasions discussed town planning mutters with representatives of local authorities and their housing schemes have been designed on the principles of modern town planning. The Dunfermline town planning scheme was approved on 7th May, 1920, and the Edinburgh (Fountainbridge) scheme on 7th January, 1921. In addition to these two schemes, I may say that the Scottish Board of Health have given general approval to a plan prepared by a joint committee representing the local authorities of Glasgow City, Clydebank Burgh, Eastern district of Dumbarton, and upper district of Renfrew, for the development of a large extent of land in the areas of these local authorities. In due course the detailed town planning scheme for this area will be submitted for the approval of the Board. The Board have also had before them a scheme prepared by the Corporation of Edinburgh for ground at Craigentinny, Restalrig and Lochend, and have held a local inquiry into the scheme and into the objections thereto. The draft clauses of the scheme, however, have not yet been finally adjusted.

asked the Minister of Health in how many cases work on houses under construction for the working class has been suspended within the last three months by reason of disputes in connection with the erection of Weir houses, or for reasons not connected with the actual wages or working conditions of the men thus striking?

I have no complete information on this subject, but as far as I am aware there have been two cases in England and Wales within the last three months in which work has been suspended on the grounds stated by the Noble Lord.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if his attention has been drawn to the expressed intention of the London County Council to substitute a new bridge for the present Waterloo Bridge; and if he will take any action in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The First Commissioner regrets that he is unable to take any action in the matter, which is entirely one for the London County Council.

asked the Postmaster-General the mileage of telegraph and telephone wires leased by his Department from railway companies and other private owners; and the rentals paid there for in 1913 and 1924, respectively?

I am making inquiries in the matter, and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in issuing instructions that letters posted after midday on 23rd December will not be, delivered on 25th December or earlier, he has, apart from the inconvenience to the general public that such action will cause, considered the delay to business letters and the consequences that might result from orders posted on the afternoon of 23rd December not feeing delivered until 28th December?

Owing to the heavy postings immediately before Christmas, I regret that some delay is inevitable, and it is necessary to deal with correspondence in sequence. Letters posted by midday on 23rd December will be given preference, but I hope that a large proportion of letters posted before midday on the 24th, if for local delivery or for neighbouring towns, will be delivered by Christmas Day. It is not practicable to distinguish between business communications and private correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Tientsin Port Police, controlled by British Consular authorities, acting under orders refused to allow the distribution of parcels containing food and clothing for the relief of persons in distress in that city; and will he state what was the object of these orders and whether instructions have been given to the Consular authorities to prevent the distribution of relief?

His Majesty's Consul-General at Tientsin, with whom I have been in communication, reports that nothing is known locally of any such incident as that described in the first part of the question. The second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India why, when the claims of the superior Civil Services in India, together with the individual opinions of the Lee Commission, were duly published in the Report, similar consideration has in no way been given to the appeal submitted by the European Foremen's Association of India; whether he is aware that, although the Association has followed all the prescribed channels of making representations, its members are dissatisfied at the delays which have resulted and are proceeding, and that the channels of redress are slow and inadequate; and whether he is prepared to make detailed investigation into the discontent of the Ordnance Factory European Staff in India?

The members of the European Foremen's Association of India did not come within the scope of the Lee Commission, which, as stated, was concerned with the Superior Civil Services in India. The memorial of the Association was, however, carefully considered both by the Government of India and the Secretary of State, and as the result the memorialists were informed that the Secretary of State was unable to comply with their requests, except that the question of passage concessions and also the possibility of extending educational facilities were reserved for further examination. My Noble Friend is now in communication with the Government of India on these subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information that the Government of the Dominion of Canada has made any arrangements to subsidise or otherwise assist freight lines to place Canadian cattle on the British market?

My attention has been called to a report in the Press that an arrangement had been entered into on behalf of the Canadian Government with a shipping firm, who had undertaken the special equipment of certain vessels for the carriage of cattle from Canada to this country, but I have no detailed information in the matter.